I
am going to back up a little and tell you about my drive to McAlester,
OK. But first I want to show you the photos of the clouds going up to
Mountainair, and then the photos I took of the snow on the ground...
If
you take the first picture and place the second picture on its right,
it encompasses the mouintains on either side of the road. The first
picture reminds me so much of an artist's paint brush, with sweeping
strokes. The other picture reminds me of bread dough being braided
and.or rolled. The winds were exremely high, and when I tried to open
my door to get out, I wasn't able to do so.
Past Mountainair I
pulled over and put down my window and took these photos...Mountainair
is 6000 elevation, Lemitar is only 4000...
Many
of the houses in New Mexico are made from what is available for
building. I have an adobe, made from clay, for example. Going east in
New Mexico, there were many houses, some standing and being lived in,
and others tumbling down and abandoned. The ones I passed on US 60,
after Mountainair, were beautifully built structures using flat pieces
of sandstone, of which there is an abundance....
I
could not believe all the frieght trains that I passed. It seemed as
if they were waiting patiently in line to be allowed to move. And they
were stacked up not only towards the west, but also towards the east.
It seemed like every five miles there was a freight train waiting.
Leaving
on May 2nd, headed for McAlester, Oklahome, I got on US 60 and headed
east. There was a big sign just as I was leaving, announcing that I was
driving on THE WOODY GUTHRIE MEMORIAL HIGHWAY. How exciting is
that?? Because I was sure that I was taking the right road - US 60 -
ignoring a sign pointing to Oklahoma City. Although I had added many
miles to my drive, I did stop at a small wayside where I spotted four of
five wild turkeys. I assured them that I did not have a gun. I was
able to catch two on my camera, the others having just disappeared!....
There
was also a historical sign which I took a picture of, but it is really
too small to read. What it says is that around 1936 Texas built a large
number of these waysides for drivers to use. Most of them are still in
use. The stone for the table and benches, which was in moderate shape,
came from the stone around the area...
It
was at this point that I knew I was on the wrong road - US 60 yes, but
going further north and east, and I wanted to go east. So I got out my
handy dandy road map, and saw where I was, and I found a road I could
take south, get on I 40 for a while, then drop further south, to Wioka
and McAlester, OK.
I love barns and was fascinated by one that I
could see as I was driving. It looked silver...and it was, as it was
covered front to back, side to side, and its rounded roof, with tin -
you know the kind that people like me, have to cover their roofs? I had
to take a picture...
The
Texas Panhandle is flat and prairieland. It reminded me of the
midwest. I could see for miles. Along with that, were the little
structures for pumping natural gas, as well as tyrannosaurus rex type
structures that are pumping oil. There were hundreds of the natural gas
structures in every farmers fields. There were wind farms everywhere
which I was happy about. And, I finally saw my first armadillo,
unfortunately dead at the side of the highway. I saw three more also.
Then
the landscape suddenly changed, and I guessed I was in the Texas Hill
Country. Beautiful, lot of wild flowers, cattle munching grass, horses,
tails flying, running across their field. My opinion of some parts of
Texas changed.
Drove into Oklahoma, found the highway I was to
take, and drove south, then east, and then south again. I wanted to see
the roller coaster road. When I got close to Wioka, which is where it
was supposed to be, I stopped and a very nice elderly man made me a
map. Never found the road - however, as I drove to McAlester, about 30
miles east of Wioka, I could have been going on the roller coaster road -
it was up and down, up and down all the way. The trees were lush and
green, with pink, yellow, red, and lilac wild flowers lining the road.
There was basically nowhere to stop to take pictures. Not much berm, no
rest stops, and the roadside ditches were filled with water.
I
made it to McAlester, and to my hotel. Checked in, asked where a good
steak house was. Texas Rose was the name. I drove on the frontage road
down to it, got out, and walked in. There were some men waiting for a
table, and one of them started talking to me, asking me where I was
from, where I was going, just chit chat. I had a good steak, baked
potato, and a house salad. When I asked for my bill my waitress said, "
Sugar, it has been paid for. And I was asked not to tell by who. You
know, Sugar, this happens all the time around here." What a nice end to
a long day. But I certainly can do without all the Sugars, Sweeties,
etc.
And by the way, on my way in to McAlester, there were huge
cast iron buffalos on corners, next to stores and banks, and when I
drove into Best Western, this greeted me...
The McAlester High School teams are the Buffalos!
More
later, perhaps tonight or tomorrow morning - my drive from McAlester to
Festus, Mo., was a long one, but there were many lakes and rivers,
which I will discuss them. Tomorrow the Cave House.
Life is Good!
I love you all,
Sally
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